English Language Proficiency Standards

Adopted December 10, 2013. These new standards were strategically designed to simplify and streamline the process of learning in English in order to meet college-and-career-ready standards in academic subject areas. The ten standards highlight language functions and forms that English Language Learners (ELLs) need in order to suceed. The correspondences between the ELP standards and specific ELA, Math Practice and Science Practice standads are clearly identified.

Early Language Learning/Dual Language Learners

WIDA Bulletin focused on approaches to working with pre-school age Dual Language and English Language Learners

English Language Proficiency Standards Project

Kansas joined ten other states, CCSSO, WestEd, and Understanding Language in an effort to more closely correlate English Language Proficiency Standards with College and Career Ready standards for English Language Arts and Literacy, Math, and Science. ELPA21 Standards Initiative

For our state’s part of the effort a 24-person committee was created representing all Board of Education districts, all levels of instruction, teachers, administrators, specialists and higher education. The committee's task was to provide detailed reviews, feedback, and guidance to a national team of expert standards writers. The committee timeline was defined by the English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century State Consortium (ELPA21) in order to meet commitments for developing new assessments “of the critical elements associated with English language acquisition and mastery of the linguistic skills linked to success in mainstream classroom environments.”

Nominations for the ELP Standards Committee were solicited in January 2013. The committee first convened on February 25, 2013 and met at critical points in the standards develop process, reflected in documents below. In September the committee voted unanimously to recommend a new set of ELP Standards for adoption. Feedback on the standards was accepted online until Friday, October 25, 2013. The Kansas Board of Education formally adopted the standards on December 10, 2013.